Wire cage cutter

ABSTRACT

High speed cutters are attached adjacent the outlet of a wire cage making machine to sever individual cages as they issue from the machine. Upon actuation, a positioning piston swings the jaws of each cutter into a cutting position around each longitudinal cage wire and simultaneously opens a control spool to admit hydraulic fluid to a power cutting piston to sever the wire. The pistons and jaws then quickly retract to avoid interference with the advancing wires of the next cage. A hoist neutralizes the weight of the cut cage while the wrap wires are cut, and a second hoist automatically transports and deposits the cage at a preselected location.

Unlted States Patent 11 1 1111 3,841,360

Turner 51 Oct. 15, 1974 15 WIRE CAGE CUTTER 3,233,638 2/1966 Silliman et al. 140/112 [75]- ln entor: C. warren Turner, Redmond, 3,250,888 5/1966 Olivier ct a1. 140/1 12 wash Primary Examiner-Lowel1 A. Larson [73] Assign The Black Clawson Company, Attorney, Agent, or FirmBiebel, French & Bugg Middletown, Ohio 1221 F1100; Sept. 4, 1973 7 ABSTRACT H1gh speed cutters are attached ad acent the outlet of l l PP 394,165 a wire cage making machine to sever individual cages as they issue from the machine. Upon actuation. a po- 152 vs. c1 140/1, 83/112, 83/600, Sitioning P Swings the j of each Cutler into 40/112 cutting position around each longitudinal cage wire 1511 1111. c1 B211 27/10 and Simultaneously Opens Control Spool to admit y- [58] Field of Search 140/1, 112; 83/112, 600, draulic fluid I0 8 Power cutting Piston to Sever 33/556, 559 wire. The pistons and jaws then quickly retract to avoid interference with the advancing wires of the References Cited next cage. A hoist neutralizes the weight of the cut UNITED STATES PATENTS cage while the wrap wires are cut, and a second hoist 944 555 l o H Id 83/600 automatically transports and deposits the cage at a 0 en 3,125,132 3/1964 Knisely 140/112 preselected locauon' 3,215,169 11/1965 Silliman et a1. 140/112 10 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures 28 18 f7; 11 -J"/ Y 1-11' ie-"i'i 44 7 142 41 1 l i 57 25 l -56 i 1 1 l 27 l l 40 3o- 4 so l I 17 M 8 32 PATENTED 1 51974 39841 @360 SHEET 2 0F 5 FIG-2 IOJ PATEMEQ BB1 5 sum 3 or 5 FIG-5 FIG -4 FIG-7 SHEEI 50$ 5 PAIENIEU am 51974 FIG-H WIRE CAGE CUTTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the production of reinforcing cages for tubular concrete products, and more particularly to a device for severing individual cages as they issue from a cage making machine.

Machines for manufacturing concrete reinforcing wire cages are well known in the prior art, as may be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,040,349, 2,050,832, 3,125,132, and 3,280,855. Some of these devices include means for severing the wires of the cage structure, while others, such as Knisely U.S. Pat. No. 3,125,132 rely on manual cutting of the cage wires.

Whether manual or automatic, the prior art machines include distinct disadvantages. Automatic devices for cutoff are usually unique to the particular machine and thus lack universal applicability. Further, many of the approaches are expensive, unduly complicated, and limited in durability. Manual cutoff, on the other hand, causes considerable delay. Each wire must be individually cut, and the cage must be transferred to a squaring fixture to trim the wires to a common plane,

There is thus a need for a wire cage cutter which is adaptable to virtually any wire cage making machine, which provides rapid, accurate and reliable cutting of the cage wires, and which minimizes the amount of manual labor and delay involved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, the present invention provides a compact wire cage cutter attached to the outlet of a conventional cage fabricating machine. One cutter is provided for each longitudinal wire and is positioned immediately adjacent the wire path. Each cutter includes jaws which, upon actuation, are quickly pivoted to straddle the wire, cut the wire with a scissors action, and retract. The wires are cut to accurate lengths so that the cage is automatically squared, with the cut ends of the wires lying in a common plane perpendicular to the cage axis, and the entire operation occurs in less than 0.3 seconds, enabling the cage making machine to run continuously while the cage is being severed.

A positioning piston pivots the jaws from rest to cutting position, and a separate power piston actuates the jaws to cut the wire. The rapid response and short cycle time result from a special hydraulic valve spool on the positioning piston. As soon as the positioning piston has moved the jaws sufficiently toward the cutting position, the spool actuates the power cutting piston to drive the jaws together to sever the wire. The response time is a minimum as compared with independent controls for each piston since separate controls must delay initiating the cut to be certain that the jaws are in position.

After the longitudinal wires are cut, a hoist assembly supports the severed cage while the wrap wires are cut manually. The cage is then transferred to a selfpropelled hoist which automatically transports the cage to one of several preselected storage locations.

The present invention thus reduces the manual labor required to manufacture concrete reinforcing cages, and enables the cage making machine to be operated continuously.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a universal wire cage cutter usable on a wide variety of wire cage making machines; a cutter having an extremely accurate and short cutting cycle; a cutter which automatically squares the cages without the need for separate squaring operations; a cutter which minimizes the manual labor and delay involved in making concrete reinforcing wire cages; a cutter having simple and uncomplicated controls; an automatic hoist system for use in cutting, transporting, and storing the cages cut by the wire cage cutter; and to accomplish the above objects and purposes in an uncomplicated, reliable, inexpensive, and durable configuration.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cage hoist transporting and storing system of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of a wire cage making machine adjusted to maximum cage making diameter, showing the wire cutter assemblies attached thereto;

FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of a portion of the FIG. 2 machine showing the machine adjusted to a small cage making diameter;

FIG. 4 is a partially broken-away side view of one of the wire cutter assemblies shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a partially broken-away view of the FIG. 4 cutter looking from left to right in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an end view of the spool on the end of the position piston shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, partially cross-sectioned view of the FIG. 4 position piston;

FIG. 8 is an exploded view, partly in section, of portions of the FIG. 4 cutter, showing the hydraulic passages therein;

FIG. 9 is a view looking from right to left of the larger cutter assembly frame member shown in FIG. 8, and illustrating the hydraulic passages therein;

FIG. 10 is a view looking from right to left of the smaller cutter assembly frame member shown in FIG. 8, and illustrating the hydraulic passages therein; and

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of the hydraulic circuits for the wire cutter assemblies of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The drawings illustrate a portion of a wire cage making machine 10 (FIG. 2) located below an opening 12 in an operator platform 13 (FIGS. 1 and 2). Machine 10 may be a wire cage making machine such as disclosed in Knisely U.S. Pat. No. 3,125,132, issued Mar. 17, 1964, in which a wire reinforcing cage 15 issues continuously in a vertical direction through opening 12. An operator stands on platform 13 adjacent opening 12 to sever and remove each wire cage 15 as it issues from machine 10.

As in the Knisely patent, machine 10 includes a plurality of wire positioning and welding mechanisms 17 (FIG. 2) which feed and position the individual longitudinal cage wires 18 and weld them to the wrap wires 19. The mechanisms 17 are arranged in a generally circular pattern adjacent opening 12 beneath platform 13, and are movable inwardly and outwardly on radial tracks 20 to vary the cage diameter, as described more fully in the Knisely patent.

A wire cutter assembly 22 is mounted on the end of each mechanism 17 adjacent opening 12, providing one wire cutter assembly for each longitudinal wire 18 of cage 15. Cutters 22 are located adjacent the paths of wires 18 just inside the cage 15, but do not project into the wire paths in order not to interfere with the wires or with the cage wrap wires 19.

Each WII' cutter 22 is also inclined at about a 17 angle (FIG. 4) away from the normal vertical path of the associated cage wire 18. Changes in the cage diameter of up to 17 can therefore be accommodated while the cage is being manufactured. This is important where the cage is to have a bell configuration, as in FIG. 2.

Each cutter 22 includes a major frame member 25 on which is mounted a positioning piston 27, a power piston 28, and a pair of scissors-action cutting jaws 30. Bolts 31 attach a minor frame member 32 to member 25, and the complete assembly is mounted on a positioning and welding mechanism 17 by nuts 34 and bolts 35 adjustably locking the cutter about an eccentric pivot pin 36. Bolts 35 and 36 provide for precise adjustment of the position of cutter 22 and jaws 30 with respect to the longitudinal cage wire 18 issuing from the positioning and welding mechanism 17 (FIG. 4).

Within each wire cutter assembly 22, a pivot 40 mounts the cutting jaws 30 for cutting movement toward and away from one another and also for movement into and out of a rest position (solid jaw lines in FIG. 4) and a cutting position (dotted jaw lines). Pivot 40 may have any appropriate configuration and is illustrated here as a spherical bearing.

Each jaw 30 is connected to an arm 42 opposite pivot 40 so that movement of arms 42 away from one another will pivot the jaws toward one another (FIG. A wedge shaped tip 44 on power piston 28 engages complementary inclined surfaces 45 on arms 42 for driving the anns apart to force the cutting jaws together.

In order to move the jaws 30 into the cutting position, the positioning piston 27 engages jaws 30 beneath pivot 40. When actuated, piston 27 pivots the jaws 30 about pivot 40 until the jaws and arms are stopped by a stop 47. In this position, the jaws straddle the longitudinal wire 18 for rapid cutting thereof.

Positioning piston 27 includes a valve spool 50 (FIGS. 6 and 7) which controls the supply of hydraulic fluid to power piston 28. Spool 50 admits hydraulic fluid through spool grooves 51 into a hydraulic channel 52, and from there to the power piston, only after positioning piston 27 has moved a predetermined distance toward the cutting position. In normal operation, the spool thus controls the timing and operation of power piston 28, causing piston 28 to actuate the cutting jaws at almost the instant the jaws reach the cutting position. There is virtually no delay between moving the jaws into position and cutting the wire.

After the wire has been cut, the hydraulic pressure is withdrawn, and springs 54 and 55 open jaws 30 and return positioning piston 27 and spool 50, respectively. A pair of springs 56 move pins 57 against jaw arms 42 to return the jaws to the rest position. Power piston 28 is a double-acting piston which is returned under hydraulic pressure, and hydraulic pistons may be used in place of the above springs, where desired.

FIGS. 8-11 illustrate the hydraulic control circuit 60 and hydraulic flow passages for the wire cutter assemblies 22. With reference to FIG. 11, circuit 60 includes a reservoir 61 having a sight glass 62 and a breather and filler cap 63. An external air supply is connected to a coupling 64 and passes air through a filter 65 to a regu lator 66, a Iubricator 67, and into a hydraulic booster 68 which pumps hydraulic fluid from reservoir 61 to an accumulator 69. A needle valve 70 may be used for maintenance to remove pressure from the system, and a relief valve 71 limits the maximum pressure of the system.

A control valve 75 controls application of the hydraulic pressure to hydraulic supply lines 76 and 77, and a filter 78 filters the hydraulic fluid as it returns to reservoir 61. Valve 75 is actuated by conventional control circuitry (not shown) to operate the wire cutter assemblies 22.

When a cage is to be cut, valve 75 is shifted to the right (as viewed in FIG. 11) applying hydraulic pressure to line 76 and to each positioning piston 27 and spool 50. Hydraulic supply line 76, which is connected by a connection 80 (FIG. 4) to minor frame member 32, passes the hydraulic fluid to positioning piston 27 and spool 50 through a horizontal passage 82 connecting. to a vertical passage 83 which connects, in turn, to the rear of positioning piston 27 (mounted in major frame member 25).

The hydraulic fluid advances the positioning piston and jaws of each cutter assembly 22 from rest to cutting position, and moves spool 50 to admit the hydraulic fluid to channel 52 through the spool grooves 51. When the jaws are sufficiently advanced, spool 50 supplies hydraulic fluid to actuate the power piston to sever the adjacent longitudinal cage wire 18. The hydraulic fluid for the power piston passes from channel 52 through hydraulic passages 85, 86, and 87 in major frame member 25 (FIGS. 8 and 9) to passage 88 in minor frame member 32. Passage 88 is connected by a connection 89 (FIG. 4) to a power piston hydraulic supply line 90, which conducts the hydraulic fluid to actuate the power piston.

After a predetermined elapsed time, control valve 75 is shifted to the left to pressurize line 77 to retract each of the power pistons 28. Springs 54-56 restore the jaws 30 and positioning piston 27, while a check valve 93 permits return of hydraulic fluid from power piston 28 through line to connection 80, into line 76, and from there through filter 78 to reservoir 61. The wire cutter assemblies 22 and hydraulic circuit 60 then remain in rest position until the next cutting signal is received.

To prevent the cage from falling back into machine 10 when the wires are severed by cutters 22, a cage support hoist 95 (FIG. 1) supports cage 15 above operator platform 13 while the cage is being severed. Hoist 95 compensates for the weight of the cage and is easily maneuverable so that the operator may manually sever the wrap wires 19 as the next cage continues to issue through opening 12. The hoist and cage are then pulled to a position away from machine 10 where a transfer hoist 98 engages the newly cut cage to move the cage automatically to a cage storage area 100.

Hoists 95 and 98 engage the cages 15 by means of hooks 101 suspended from points at a diameter greater than the cage diameter, so that when the hoists are lowered the hooks disengage and swing free of the cages. Transfer hoist 98 may then operate in a semi-automatic manner by moving to any one of several preselected storage area locations 103, each location being rcprcsented by a corresponding limit switch 105. Upon engaging a preselected limit switch, conventional control circuitry (not shown) in transfer hoist 98 causes the hoist to stop and to lower the cage at that location, permitting hooks 101 to swing free of the cage. The hoist then raises the hooks, travels back to the initial starting point, lowers the hooks, and waits to receive the next cage from the cage support hoist 95.

As may be seen, therefore, this invention provides numerous advantages. It is readily and easily adapted to almost any existing wire cage making machine. It provides high speed operation, reduces the amount of men and labor required, and produces cages which are automatically squared so that the cut ends of the longitudinal cage wires lie within about 1/16 inch of a common plane perpendicular to the cage axis. It is uncomplicated in design and highly compact, so that it may be used in making cages of very small dimensions. Compactness is enhanced by operating the power piston 28 in a direction almost at right angles to the jaws 30 (FIG. 4). The jaws and power piston are thus offset to locate the power piston somewhat parallel to the usual direction of movement of the longitudinal cage wires 18. This reduces the dimensions of the wire cutter 22 perpendicular to the usual wire path, permitting a large number of wire cutters to fit in a confined space, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

Hoist 95 provides support for the cages as they are cut by cutters 22. This not only prevents the cages from falling back into machine 10 through opening 12, but also enables the operator to handle heavy cages easily while cutting the wrap wires 19 and removing the cages from the machine. The transfer hoist 98 then automatically removes the cages to a storage area while the operator returns to machine 10 for cutting and removing the next cage 15.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Wire cutting apparatus for use on a machine for making wire cages for reinforcement of concrete structures, comprising: i

a. a support frame,

b. opposed wire cutter jaws,

c. means on said frame mounting said jaws for movement into and out of a cutting position adjacent said frame,

d. means connected to said frame for moving said jaws into and out of said cutting position, and

e. means connected to said frame for operating said jaws to cut a wire therebetween when said jaws are in said cutting position.

2. Wire cutting apparatus as defined in claim 1 comprising means actuated by said jaw moving means after predetermined movement of said jaws toward said cutting position for effecting operation of said jaw operating means.

3. Wire cutting apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for moving said jaws into and out of said cutting position comprises a piston having valve spool means connected thereto and operated thereby, said spool means also being connected to said jaw operating means for causing operation of said jaws after predetermined movement of said jaws toward said cutting position.

4. Wire cutting apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said jaws are mounted about a common pivot for cutting movement toward one another, and wherein said jaw operating means comprises a power piston and inclined surface means on said piston and said jaws to move each said jaw toward the other upon actuation of said power piston.

5. Wire cutting apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said jaws are pivoted into and out of said cutting position about said common pivot.

6. Wire cutting apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said jaw operating means operates in a direction at least somewhat parallel to the usual direction of movement of the cage wire to be cut, to reduce the dimensions of said cutter normal to the wire path.

7. Wire cutting apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising a hoist assembly to support a wire cage adjacent the cage making apparatus during operation of said cutting apparatus to sever the cage wire.

8. Wire cutting apparatus as defined in claim 7 further comprising a self-propelled hoist and controls therefor for carrying a severed cage to a predetermined location, depositing the cage, and returning for another cage.

9. Wire cutting apparatus for use on a machine for making wire cages for reinforcement of concrete structures, comprising:

a. a support frame,

b. opposed scissors action wire cutter jaws mounted about a common pivot for cutting movement toward one another,

a power piston operably connected to said wire cutter jaws to move each said jaw toward one another upon actuation of said power piston,

. means on said frame mounting said jaws about said common pivot for movement into and out of a cutting position adjacent said frame,

. positioning piston means connected to said frame for moving said jaws into and out of said cutting position, and

f. valve spool means connected to and operated by said jaw positioning piston means, said spool means also being connected to said jaw power piston for actuating said power piston to operate said jaws after predetermined movement of said jaws toward said cutting position.

10. Wire cutting apparatus as defined in claim 9 further comprising:

a. a hoist assembly to support a wire cage adjacent the cage making apparatus during operation of said cutting apparatus to sever the cage wire, and

b. a self-propelled hoist and controls therefor for carrying a severed cage to a predetermined location, depositing the cage, and returning for another cage. 

1. Wire cutting apparatus for use on a machine for making wire cages for reinforcement of concrete structures, comprising: a. a support frame, b. opposed wire cutter jaws, c. means on said frame mounting said jaws for movement into and out of a cutting position adjacent said frame, d. means connected to said frame for moving said jaws into and out of said cutting position, and e. means connected to said frame for operating said jaws to cut a wire therebetween when said jaws are in said cutting position.
 2. Wire cutting apparatus as defined in claim 1 comprising means actuated by said jaw moving means after predetermined movement of said jaws toward said cutting position for effecting operation of said jaw operating means.
 3. Wire cutting apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for moving said jaws into and out of said cutting position comprises a piston having valve spool means connected thereto and operated thereby, said spool means also being connected to said jaw operating means for causing operation of said jaws after predetermined movement of said jaws toward said cutting position.
 4. Wire cutting apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said jaws are mounted about a common pivot for cutting movement toward one another, and wherein said jaw operating means comprises a power piston and inclined surface means on said piston and said jaws to move each said jaw toward the other upon actuation of said power piston.
 5. Wire cutting apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said jaws are pivoted into and out of said cutting position about said common pivot.
 6. Wire cutting apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said jaw operating means operates in a direction at least somewhat parallel to the usual direction of movement of the cage wire to be cut, to reduce the dimensions of said cutter normal to the wire path.
 7. Wire cutting apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising a hoist assembly to support a wire cage adjacent the cage making apparatus during operation of said cutting apparatus to sever the cage wire.
 8. Wire cutting apparatus as defined in claim 7 further comprising a self-propelled hoist and controls therefor for carrying a severed cage to a predetermined location, depositing the cage, and returning for another cage.
 9. Wire cutting apparatus for use on a machine for making wire cages for reinforcement of concrete structures, comprising: a. a support frame, b. opposed scissors action wire cutter jaws mounted about a common pivot for cutting movement toward one another, c. a power piston operably connected to said wire cutter jaws to move each said jaw toward one another upon actuation of said power piston, d. means on said frame mounting said jaws about said common pivot for movement into and out of a cutting position adjacent said frame, e. positioning piston means connected to said frame for moving said jaws into and out of said cutting position, and f. valve spool means connected to and operated by said jaw positioning piston means, said spool means also being connected to said jaw power piston for actuating said power piston to operate said jaws after predetermined movement of said jaWs toward said cutting position.
 10. Wire cutting apparatus as defined in claim 9 further comprising: a. a hoist assembly to support a wire cage adjacent the cage making apparatus during operation of said cutting apparatus to sever the cage wire, and b. a self-propelled hoist and controls therefor for carrying a severed cage to a predetermined location, depositing the cage, and returning for another cage. 